Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture says the Osu Castle would soon be converted into a museum of leadership and governance.
She said the castle would soon receive much attention as significant partners were coming on board to elevate the place and make it more attractive to both local and international tourists.
She said this, would also be a source of income generation for the sector.
Mrs Oteng-Gyasi said this during a familiarization tour to some tourist facilities in Accra, to ascertain their conditions at the back drop of the celebration of PANEFEST and Emancipation Day celebrations, as well as the year of return.
The Minister visited the Kwame Nkrumah Museum, the Osu Castle and the Dubois Centre.
She said it was important to keep these sites in shape as most tourists who would visit Ghana during these periods might visit such places, saying, “It is paramount for tourists to have good impressions about our sites, so that they go back with fantastic reports in order to also drive in more tourists”.
The Minister said “These are the reasons why we have to take critical look at these facilities and whatever has to be done must be done immediately.”
Mrs Oteng- Gyasi said there were certain issues in the industry that require legal action, and that she was working on finalizing certain recommendations in the Creative Arts bill that were made by cabinet and would be resubmitted to get approval and pass same.
She mentioned that it was the arts and culture that drive tourism, and there was the need to focus more on them, in order to drive more tourism into the country.
“The issue of copyright in the creative arts industry impinges on the revenue that artists generate. We are working to comprehensively deal with that to ensure that artists generate the revenue from their work.”
She called on managers of these facilities to ensure that the sites were always in good shape assuring that the Ministry would be ready to assist them in whatever form to achieve the best.
Source: GNA
